Page 56 of Reckless Chances
Charlie put his arm over Emma’s shoulder. “You’re safe now.”
She continued to play with the dog’s soft ears, then she realized that she was sitting on a bench with the man who dumped her, and his arm grew heavy on her shoulders. She shrugged it off and shifted away from him. “What are you doing here, Charlie?”
“Hiking?”
She pursed her lips and rolled her eyes.
“I was looking for you.” He leaned against the bench. “Jenni told me where to find you.”
Emma crossed her arms over her chest. “Why would she do that?” Anger was filling that space that only moments earlier had been filled with fear.
“I owe you an apology,” Charlie said.
“Oh?” Emma didn’t move to uncross her arms. She actually tightened them across her chest.
“Emma...” Charlie stroked the back of the husky. “Someone told me lies about you – and I believed them.”
“Jason.”
“Yeah, Jason. My brother. He was only looking out for me. I think.” Charlie rubbed his beard and seemed to be struggling to find his words.
“Why did you take his word for it? Why didn’t you ask me?”
“I kind of did, but you evaded my question. And Adam told Jason that you were a compulsive liar – and a cheater...”
“A liar?” Emma shook her head. “Adam’s the—”
“Liar.” Charlie finished her sentence. “I know that now.” He cleared his throat and turned to face her. “Emma, if I could go back in time, I would do things so differently. I’m so sorry. You deserve so much better than that.”
“I do.” Emma uncrossed her arms and rested her hands on her knees. “My ex cheated on me with my best friend.”
“I know,” Charlie whispered.
Her throat constricted as she tried to get the words to come out. “But losing you. That was a million times worse, Charlie. I...” She had lost all reservations. “I loved you.”
Charlie rested his hands on hers, as if he were testing the waters. When she didn’t rip them from his, he slipped his fingers over the blades of her hands. “I loved you too.” His blue eyes shimmered and Emma’s breath caught in her throat as she realized he was going to cry. He blinked the tears away and rubbed the back of her hands with his thumbs. “That’s not actually true,” he said. He took a breath and squeezed her hands. “I still love you. Please don’t leave.” He wasn’t able to blink them away and tears fell from Charlie’s blue eyes. “I’ll always love you,” he continued. “I promise I will never be reckless with your heart; I will never hurt you again. Will you give me, will you give us, another chance?” Emma looked down at their hands. She slipped hers from beneath his and rubbed them on her jeans. “I totally understand if you never want to see me again.” He removed his hands from her legs, but the warmth from his palms remained.
“Charlie,” Emma whispered. “I’m not going anywhere.”
“But the for lease sign...”
“I love Chance Rapids. I need to move somewhere permanent.” Emma had been looking at some of the small downtown houses with Charlotte. “Charlie, I fell in love with you the night we built that wall. I’ve never felt like that with anyone.” She paused. “I don’t think that I can ever feel like that with anyone else, ever again.” She reached out to hold his hands. “I’d be crazy if I didn’t give us another chance.” She squeezed his hands. “Charlie Jones, I love you.”
She leaned in and so did Charlie. Timber, the husky, witnessed the moment that Charlie and Emma promised themselves to each other, but even he knew to look away the moment that their lips touched. The sanctity of that moment, on that bench, meant more to Emma than any ring ever could, more than any wedding she had ever planned. She knew from that moment on, even before they carved their initials into the bench, that she was Charlie’s and Charlie was hers. Forever.
